"Dear, dear, it quite slipped my memory, Isabella."

"You have no head at all, Georgina."

"Can I frame an excuse?" said Miss Crewys, piteously, "or will he
think it discourteous?"

"Leave it to me, Georgina," said Lady Belstone, with the air of a
diplomat. "Mary, my love!"

Lady Mary started. "Yes, Isabella."

"Georgina has very properly recalled to me that candles and lamps make
a very poor light for viewing the family portraits. You know, my love,
the Vandyck is so very dark and black. She proposes, therefore, with
your permission, to act as our cousin's cicerone to-morrow morning, in
the daytime. Shall we say--at eleven o'clock, John?"

Canon Birch started nervously, and the doctor frowned at him.

"At eleven o'clock," said John, in steady tones; and, as he spoke, Sir
Timothy entered the hall.




CHAPTER IV


"Some tea, Timothy?" said Lady Mary.